Construction of the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link between Johor Bahru and Singapore is advancing steadily, achieving 77.61% completion as of May 31, 2024. The project, aimed at enhancing connectivity and easing congestion at the Johor-Malaysia Causeway, is on track to commence passenger services by the end of 2026.
Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) reported significant progress in various project components. The maintenance depot in Wadi Hana has reached 82.14% completion and is scheduled for system installation by year-end. The Bukit Chagar station platform will be ready for system access by the end of this year, marking a crucial milestone.
Construction has also seen substantial advancements with completing u-shell beams above the Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) tracks, reaching 71.16%. The focus now shifts to the construction of the station floors. Additionally, all pier columns along Jalan Tun Abdul Razak and Jalan Ismail Sultan have been installed, with more than half of the guideway spans connecting the pier columns completed, achieving 65% progress.
Marine construction has also made headway, with all marine pier columns erected and guideway spans connecting the columns underway. This segment has reached 74.76% completion, with full completion anticipated by the end of November 2024. The marine section includes a navigation channel between designated piers, measuring 75m in width and 25m in height, to allow boats and barges to pass through.
The RTS Link will be a four-kilometre light rail transit shuttle connecting Bukit Chagar station in Johor Bahru to Woodlands North station in Singapore. It will have a capacity of 10,000 passengers per hour per direction, significantly relieving congestion at the Johor-Malaysia Causeway, currently the world’s busiest border crossing.
Singapore has also made significant progress, with approximately two-thirds of civil infrastructure works completed. Completing the connecting span, a 17.1-meter-long reinforced concrete structure linking Malaysia’s Pier 47 and Singapore’s Pier 48 marks a major milestone. This span was constructed using steel support structures over 26 metres above sea level.
When completed, the RTS Link will include co-located Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine (CIQ) facilities at both Bukit Chagar and Woodlands North stations. This will streamline passenger clearance processes by allowing travellers to clear immigration authorities at their point of departure.
